Killer whales, going on the offensive, for no apparent reason at all? That’s the story from a number of sailboats and maritime vessels near Spain and Portugal. It seems the killer whales, unprovoked, are literally attacking boats that are underway. Boats merely headed from point A to point B. (1)
Throughout the summer of 2020, worrying distress calls have been sent from vessels of all shapes and sizes, all along the coast from north to south. These aren’t just scary near-misses, some of these boats have experienced some serious damage. Interestingly, they all report that nothing out of the ordinary was taking place at the time of the attacks… they were just going about their business.
Killer Whales Deal Some Killer Blows
One incident which occurred in early September involved a 36-foot vessel making a routine trip up the coast of Spain toward the UK. The report indicates a killer whale rammed the boat’s stern no less than 15 times, causing it to lose steering and require an emergency tow to the nearest boatyard for assessment of the damage.
Nearly 70 miles south of that incident, around the same time, there were reports to be on the lookout for killer whales in the water. The calls were put out because this was the site of two other reported collisions earlier in the summer. On August 30th there was yet another report, this time a French-flagged vessel under attack, and later that same day a Spanish yacht was struck at the stern just as others had been, causing it to lose part of its rudder.
Killer Whales Staking Out Territory?
It’s hard to say what’s going on here. It’s a well-known fact that killer whales, also known as Orcas, are intelligent and curious. Any sailor knows to keep their distance from marine life. But it’s also common for the marine life to very much want to close that distance. So interactions with killer whales, sea lions, grey whales, and many other types of magnificent marine life are quite the norm in a life at sea.
These reports of violence from what have traditionally been friendly neighbors are a bit baffling for sailors and scientists alike, but I wonder if it’s just part of the evolution of humanity’s relationship to the animals and marine life.
In 2018, we witnessed the story of Tahlequah. A mother Orca who is part of the J-pod. These resident Orcas move through the islands off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. Her baby died, and the world looked on in sadness and sympathy. We mourned with her as she carried the lifeless baby throughout the coastal waters. She would carry that baby in mourning for 17 days before finally letting it go. (2) Though this behavior has been observed in the past, it’s a mark of intelligence that I think humanity is just starting to have a greater respect for. Maybe these Orca attacks off the coast of Spain are another display. A way of drawing a line in the metaphorical sand. A statement that we’re too close… we’ve encroached on their space for long enough. Maybe they’re just reminding us that we’re a part of the ecosystem, not the head of it.